


Italian Blues

by FaustGirl



Category: Mafia (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:28:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24614533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaustGirl/pseuds/FaustGirl
Relationships: Vito Scaletta/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

The lock on the apartment door moved slightly and after a sharp click it opened.  
Whoever lived there came in carrying a bag full of groceries.  
A hand turned on the light and she closed the door before leaving the bag on the counter in the small kitchen.  
Everything seemed to be in order, which made the girl sigh in relief.  
She hung her coat and hat on the coat rack that was attached to the wall trying to get a little warm.  
The winter was getting colder than she had initially thought, but she also did not feel capable of rejecting a pleasant evening with her group of friends.  
Shee kept all the food in its proper places after checking that she had not forgotten anything.  
She had begun undressing when the phone rang, causing her to freak out slightly.  
The girl picked it up quickly and on the other end of the line she could hear the voice of her friend Joe Barbaro.

"Do you have something to do tonight, sweetheart?".

She laughed lightly and leaned against the door frame.

"I just returned home a little while ago and no, I wasn't planning to do anything tonight".

"Perfect then, I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes".

"Great, when you get here, honk your horn and I'll come down, see you later".

"Ciao".

After hanging up the phone, she ran to change her clothes.  
She rummaged through the closet until she found something decent.  
She left a long-sleeved dark green dress on the bed.  
She changed her old dress for the new one before sitting down at the dresser.  
Her makeup didn't look too bad but she decided to clean it up and reapply it this time more subtly.  
She had never been a fan of very intense makeup as she did not want to attract attention.  
When she was done with her makeup, she gathered her hair into two braids and tied them into a bun.  
She perfumed herself slightly before leaving the dressing table.  
The girl picked up a bit of the mess that had formed in the room and soon after she could hear the horn of the car a few times.  
She walked to the entrance to put on her coat and get her bag, gloves and keys and turned off all the lights before leaving.  
She closed the apartment door tight and went out onto the street where a smiling Joe was waiting for her.  
They had known each other for several years and for her he was like the brother she never had.

"How are you beautiful?".

"I am fine, how are you?".

"Better now that I see you".

They both laughed and she hugged him.  
He returned the gesture, then kissed her cheek.

"Come on, come on, there is someone I want to introduce you to".

Joe opened the passenger door for her to get in and then closed it.  
Once he was in the car, he drove to Freddy's.  
They spent the trip talking about anything they could think of and before they knew it they reached their destination.  
They parked near the bar and entered the building.  
She watched Joe look around for someone and smiled when he found him.  
She took the girl's hand and they approached a table where there was a dark-haired man who was very well dressed.

"We are already here".

The man looked at them for a moment to focus his gaze on the girl.

"I thought you three would come together".

"No, I just went looking for her".

Joe sat across from the man and let her sit next to him after taking off her coat, leaving the place next to Joe empty.  
She looked at her friend who at that moment realized something.

"God, I have not introduced you".

She turned to look at the man and smiled.

"Henry, this is Victoria Ricci and Victoria, this is Henry Tomasino".

They both looked at each other and shook hands.

"It is a pleasure".

"The pleasure is mine, Joe's friends are my friends".

They chatted for a while and asked for something to drink while they waited for the fourth person to join them.  
Victoria seemed to get along with Henry, which made Joe somewhat happy.  
As they drank they watched him raise his arm as if he had seen someone he knew.  
She wondered who it was even though it didn't take long to find out.

"I'm sorry to be late".

Victoria raised her head and froze slightly.  
In front of her was the most attractive man she had ever seen.  
His hair was dark in color as were his eyes.  
What caught her attention the most was the scar running down the left side of his jaw.  
Joe's voice brought her back and made her blush when she realized she was staring at the man she didn't even know.

"Vicky, I want to introduce you to Vito Scaletta".

Vito gave her a handshake and she felt a lump in her throat.

"My name is Victoria, it is a pleasure".

Vito smiled slightly and kissed the back of her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, Victoria".

She blushed again and was lucky that at that moment they came to take note of Vito and he released her hand.  
When they brought him what he asked for he slightly raised the glass.

"Let's make a toast to new friends".

The four of them clashed their glasses and Vito started talking to Joe as Victoria continued her earlier conversation with Henry.  
Scaletta seemed a little confused by the fact that Joe had a female friend he hadn't slept with which made the other laugh.

"She's like a sister to me, I never could".

"I'll take you at the word Joe".

Vito looked askance at the girl and tried to notice small details.  
Her hair and eyes were brown.  
Many areas of her skin were dotted with freckles and moles, the most prominent of which were under her right eye.  
Her appearance was impeccable and did not really show her age.  
She looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, although she could have been older.  
He wondered how someone like that would have ended up in Joe Barbaro's circle of friends.  
He could tell that she came from family with money but did not convey the feeling of being a daddy's girl, on the contrary, she seemed humble despite her clothing.  
A tap on the shoulder brought him out of his thoughts and made him look away to Joe who was smiling.  
Vito answered with a simple "no" and finished the contents of his glass.

They didn't know exactly how much time had passed but Victoria looked at her watch in alarm.  
It was quite late and in the morning she had thought to go do some shopping, especially to replace the broken chair in her living room.

"Gentlemen, I think it is time for me to retire, it has been a very pleasant evening".

She started to get up but the rest did too.  
The four of them went outside and got into Joe's car.  
He and Henry took the front seats while she and Vito sat in the back.  
She knew something was cooking in Joe's kitchen but she didn't knew exactly what.  
They stopped in front of her apartment and after saying goodbye to them she entered the building.  
The three of them continued on their way and during one of the red lights at one of the traffic lights Joe spoke.

"What did you think of Vicky?".

Henry puffed on his cigar and passed one to Vito.

"She looks nice and a good girl although I'm sure she's hiding something".

"Don't we all do that?".

All three laughed at Vito's comment and turned right at a crossroads.  
They left Henry where he indicated and finally stopped the car next to Joe's apartment.

"Tell me Vito, what do you think about the ragazza? Before, you didn't say anything in the car...".

"She's nice and she looks like a good girl, I don't think I have much more to say...".

"Okay, let's go to sleep, tomorrow we have work".

They entered the building, closing the door behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks for the ride Marty and tell Joe I'm sorry I made you go late".

"No problem Vicky, whenever you need it".

She kissed his cheek and left the vehicle.  
Before closing the door Marty stopped her.

"Take this".

He handed her a small piece of paper folded in half.  
She read what was written and asked him for something to write with.  
When she finished, she handed it to him.

"Don't be late".

Without waiting for him to answer, she walked away from the car and watched smiling as the boy left.  
She could not believe that little Santorelli had asked her out for a date but she did admit that he had had the courage to do so.  
She had met him in one of the many encounters she had with Barbaro and since then they became friends.  
From her small circle it was the two of them that she saw the most since the meetings with Henry had been rather sporadic and she saw Vito every time Joe visited him in prison and took her with him.  
Every time she saw him behind that glass, her heart sank, especially knowing how bad it must have been when he found out about his mother's death.  
During the time that she was still alive, Victoria visited her and her sister several times to make sure they were well.  
That woman was the sweetest thing she had known in a long time and she was glad to know that she was friends with her son, she even joked asking her if she was his girlfriend and that made Vicky blush violently while her daughter Francesca  
tried to get them to drop the topic between laughs.  
The news of Francesca's wedding and her mother's illness was equal sorrow and joy.  
Victoria felt as if someone had offered her a candy that at first seemed sweet but the left a horrible taste in her mouth.  
She did everything she could to help them but it never seemed enough.  
The girl shook her head and entered the coffee shop.  
Moira, Elisabeth and Antonella were waiting for her sitting in their usual place.  
Every week they used to meet for breakfast all together although to be honest Victoria that day did not get up too excited.  
Despite this, she hid her true feelings with a mask that she had been perfecting for years and that no one seemed to notice.  
They ordered the usual and talked about tribal issues that already generated little interest in the girl.  
She got used to spending so much time with Joe and Marty that she was often very bored if she wasn't with them.  
Antonella placed her hand on Vicky's shoulder which made her jump.

"Are you okay?".

"Lately I have too much on my mind but don't worry, I'm fine".

"Okay sweetie".

They finished breakfast shortly after and Victoria said goodbye to them to go to the bookstore.  
It was the only one she visited since the owner and his children used to get her almost all the books she asked for.  
She stopped in front of the window and waved to someone inside.  
The decorated wooden door opened and an old woman came out and smiled broadly at her.

"Good morning, Victoria".

"Good morning Mrs. Marino, how are you feeling?".

"Much better my child, come in don't stay there".

The old woman took her hand and they entered together.  
Behind the counter were her husband and two of her sons.  
All three welcomed her warmly.

"How are you?".

"I could be worse but I'm not complaining".

"Everything will be fine, you'll see".

"I hope so...".

The old woman lightly tugged on her arm.

"Orlena is upstairs with Lucia".

"Thanks, I'll go see them for a while and come down to pick up the books".

The brown-haired girl walked down a hallway that ended in a staircase and went up to the second floor.  
She knocked on the door and Lucia opened it.  
The girl laughed when she saw her and threw herself into her arms.  
Victoria hugged her tightly and lifted her off the ground.  
Together they went to where her older sister was.  
Orlena was sitting on a stool and she was fixing a stuffed rabbit that was probably Lucia's.

"Buongiorno, come stai?".

"Molto bene, e tu?".

"Bene".

She put the girl down and hugged the other one.  
Their families had known each other for many years and there was always room for her at their home.

"Will you stay for lunch?".

"If your mother allows me I would love it".

"Perfect then, I am going to tell her and if you want go check that all the books you ordered have arrived".

"I've never had a problem with it so I'm not worried".

The two girls went down the stairs and Orlena's older brother Flavio led her to the place where her order was.  
In one corner three boxes were stacked on top of each other.  
They put them on a table and opened the first one after the boy gave her the list with the names of the books.  
They stopped momentarily for lunch and continued with the rest.

"It is perfect, as always".

"Thank you".

"It is I who must give them to you".

Victoria closed the boxes and Mr. Marino's children loaded them into a red wheelbarrow.  
Flavio led her to the outside of the store.

"I'm so sorry we can't help you carry it, we have a lot of trouble in the warehouse and it needs to be cleaned, a couple of shelves broke and it's all on the floor".

"Don't worry about that, the important thing is that you solve it, can I use your phone?".

"Sure, go ahead".

Vicky entered the bookstore again and dialed Joe's number.  
After a few minutes he picked it up.

"Who calls?".

"It's me Vicky".

"Is everything alright?".

"Everything is fine, I'm at the bookstore and it would be good if you could come and help me".

"I'm so sorry baby doll but now I'm busy and Marty is going to come with me".

"Okay Joe, don't worry I'll manage, thanks anyway...".

Victoria pulled the phone away from her face to hang up but Joe's voice was heard again on the other side.

"I will send someone to help you, don't worry, you just wait there, I will tell them to come inside to look for you".

"Okay, thanks a lot, I owe you one".

"Don't worry about it".

"I do, be careful, ciao".

"Ciao".

They both hung up and Victoria walked out of the store to wait.  
The day was feeling very nice and a light breeze was blowing.  
The street was bustling with life and cars came and went continuously.  
Flavio touched the girl's shoulder and handed her a glass containing a sweet drink.

"Do you want Carlo to stay with you until they come looking for you?".

"Don't worry, you already have enough work with the warehouse".

"Okay, if you need something don't hesitate to let us know".

"Thank you".

The boy entered the store and left her sitting on one of the boxes that were inside the wheelbarrow waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

Vito didn't understand very well why Joe had called him and had simply given him an address that he told him to go to.  
He supposed that when he got there he would discover what it was all about.  
He stopped in front of the address he wrote on a piece of paper.  
In front of the window was a boy next to a red wheelbarrow.  
When he saw him, he approached him.

"Is Joe sending you?".

"Yes".

"Great, wait a moment here".

The boy entered the bookstore leaving the door open.  
Vito was more confused than he was before and waited.  
Several minutes later he saw a girl come out the door and she closed it.  
She approached the wheelbarrow and turned to look at him.

"Vito?".

"Hi Vicky, it's been a long time".

The girl hugged him tightly happy to see him again.  
He also put his arms around her, surprised by that gesture and rested his cheek against her head.  
Several minutes passed in silence.  
He noticed how she let go of him and did the same.

"How is that you are here?".

"I went out earlier".

"I'm glad".

"Well, Joe told me to come here, I guess to help you with something I see".

"Yes, I need to take this home and it weighs a lot, if you had one it would be good for me".

Scaletta took one of the boxes and followed Victoria to her apartment.  
The two left the boxes in front of her door where she left him a few moments while she returned the wheelbarrow.  
When she returned she threw the keys to Vito from the staircase and he opened the door.

"Give me a moment to open the door to the study and we leave the boxes there".

The girl entered the apartment and opened one of the doors on her right.  
She returned to Vito and together they were putting the boxes in the room.  
Victoria opened them and began to pull out their contents.

"No wonder they weighed so much, how many books are there?".

"Over thirty for sure, I had to replace many of them because the old place I lived in flooded and they didn't survive".

Victoria stood up and left the office towards the kitchen.  
Vito sat in one of the dining room chairs and watched as the girl made coffee.  
She also opened a small package from which she took out small light-colored buns and placed them on a plate.  
She left it on the dining room table and went into her bedroom to find something.  
She appeared before Vito again with an envelope in her hand and gave it to him.

"For the inconvenience, one part is for you and the other is for Joe".

"Thank you".

He put the envelope in his jacket and drank the coffee the girl offered him.  
They chatted animatedly for a while and that was when she remembered something.

"Joe told me you fought in the war".

"True, I was at the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment".

"It must have been terrible to go through that, I'm sorry I brought it up".

"Do not worry".

"I also want to offer my condolences for your mother, what happened was very sad".

"Thanks, Joe told me that you visited her and my sister and helped them in any way you could, so I'm the one who should be thanking you".

"It was nothing, she was a good woman".

"Likewise, I appreciate it".

The phone rang at that moment interrupting them and when she picked it up she could hear Joe's voice.

"Is Vito with you?".

"It's still here".

"Tell him to get on the phone".

Vicky gave Vito the phone and went into the office to place some of the books while they talked.  
She did not want to find out about things that did not concerned her, although being the daughter of one of Falcone's men many times some pieces of information reached her.  
This is how she learned that the two men had been accepted into the family.  
Only Joe knew who her father was but she had no intention of letting Vito know just yet.  
Her head often thought about the date she would have the next day and kept pondering how she would dress.  
When Vito hung up the phone she left the room and he turned to look at her.

"I have to go, Joe asked me to meet him".

"Sure, I won't occupy you anymore, thanks for helping me Vito".

The brown-haired girl kissed him on the cheek and he returned it.

"Thanks to you for the coffee, we'll see each other another time".

"See you later, Vito".

He opened the door to the apartment and left, leaving her alone inside.  
Vicky somewhat flushed focused on putting the new books on their corresponding shelves when she realized something.  
She picked up one of the books and left quickly.  
She was lucky to see him go down the stairs.

"Vito wait, I forgot to give you this".

He looked up and noticed what she had in her hand.  
He extended his arm over the hole in the stairs and Vicky dropped the book.  
She watched it fall and smiled when he caught it perfectly.

"Thank you signorina".

"Consider it an additional gift for the inconvenience".

They said goodbye again and she entered her house to continue ordering her books.  
Already in the street Vito looked at the cover of the book and saw that it was titled "The Odyssey".  
He put it in his jacket and ran to meet Joe.


	4. Chapter 4

The night seemed calm, but the streets were crowded again after the rain had stopped.  
Occasionally Victoria looked out the window looking for Marty's car.  
She knew it wouldn't take long for him to appear so she finished dressing.  
She chose an elegant purple dress with shoes of the same color and her favorite pendant.  
Her makeup was somewhat darker than normal and she painted her lips red.  
She gathered her hair into a high ponytail and tied it with a bow the same color as her dress.  
From her room she heard the bell ring and went to open the door.  
She saw in front of her was a huge bouquet of pink and purple flowers from which Marty emerged.

"Good night".

"Hi Marty".

"Here, this is for you".

He gave her the bouquet and she smiled.  
They entered the apartment and she put the flowers in a white vase.

"Thank you, they are very pretty".

She kissed the boy on the cheek and smiled.

"Shall we go?".

"Yes of course".

They left the apartment and went for a walk to a small restaurant that she frequented.  
She was a little nervous but saw that he was too.  
It had been a while since she had a date and she was happy about it.  
They were seated at a somewhat secluded table and the waitress approached them with a huge smile.  
Vicky didn't remembered her, so she thought that she must be the one who was replacing the owner's daughter who had recently given birth.

"Good evening, my name is Caroline, while you decide what to order I can bring you something to drink".

"Bring us some water, please, thank you".

"Perfect, I'll be right back".

They both watched as she left and chatted quietly until she returned.  
She left a pitcher of water and a couple of glasses on the table and Vicky gave Marty one.

"The food in this place is very good, I'm sure you will like it".

"I trust you".

They looked at the menu for a while and in the end they decided to eat Carpaccio and some pasta.

"How are things going with Joe and Vito?".

"Pretty well, I do odd jobs for Joe every once in a while, you know, the usual".

"I'm glad everything is fine".

"Thanks, I heard Vito came to help you the other day, I would have gone but Joe was keeping me busy".

"Don't worry Marty, if you were busy it is normal and it was very nice of Vito to come and help me, although I don't think he even knew who he was going to help".

The girl laughed and drank a little from her glass.  
For a while they talked about Joe and gradually emptied their plates.  
When they were almost done, a blond-haired middle-aged man came out through a side door, already showing some graying locks.  
Seeing Victoria, he approached the table and they hugged.

"It is a joy to see you around here, I haven't seen you in a long time".

"I am also very happy to see you and it is normal that time has passed without us seeing each other, after all Isabella gave birth and now you have two beautiful granddaughters".

"When you can you should come meet them".

"Of course, I wouldn't lose that opportunity for the world".

At that moment he noticed the girl's companion and held out his hand.

"My name is Michael, you must be one of Vicky's friends".

"Yes sir, my name is Martin but everyone calls me Marty, a pleasure".

"The pleasure is mine boy and as I see that you have almost finished I will bring you the bill".

"Thank you Michael".

Both watched as the older man disappeared for a few moments to return with the bill and a couple of plates of chocolate cake.

"On the House".

Marty and Vicky thanked him and when they finished they paid and left.  
After dinner they did not know what they would do until Marty started guiding her to a nearby cinema and they saw one of the films they were showing at the time.  
At the end of the film they took a walk enjoying the cool of the night and went to the girl's house.

"I have had a nice time".

"Me too, we should repeat".

"Seriously?".

At the boy's puzzled expression Victoria smiled.

"Of course, yes, it was a long time since I had such a good time".

"I'm glad if I made you have a good time".

She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.  
He hugged her too and laughed nervously.  
A few minutes later they broke up and he approached his car.

"How about we meet at the same time the day after tomorrow?".

"Will you come to pick me up?".

"Yes".

"Perfect, well, see you the day after tomorrow, good night Marty and be careful".

"Thanks Vicky, good night".

The brown-haired girl entered her building and when she entered her apartment she saw the boy leave.  
Now when she was alone, she closed the door tight, took a shower, and went to bed with one of the books she brought home.


	5. Chapter 5

Victoria banged on the door of Joe's apartment.  
She knew something was up when Marty didn't show up, and when she called the other two men, they didn't pick up the phone.  
She had been waiting a long time for the boy's car to appear, but when it didn't, she thought he would have gone straight to the restaurant.  
When she got there she did not see him anywhere and decided to wait for him there but he did not appear either.  
It was after a couple of hours that she decided to go talk to Joe.  
She knocked on the door again and when Vito opened it, she went inside looking for Joe.  
When she saw him, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shook him.

"Where's Marty?".

Joe didn't respond which made her even more angry.

"I know something has happened and you don't want to tell me about it, you better do it before I do something that you are not going to like".

He continued without responding so Victoria turned to Vito.

"Vito please, if something has happened to Marty I want to know, please".

The brown-haired girl's eyes filled with tears as she approached him.  
Neither of them had the stomach to tell her what had happened but seeing her like this, Vito felt bad for her because he knew how good friends she and Marty were.

"Let me take you home and I'll tell you about it".

"No".

"Victoria please don't make it harder".

"Now I am the one who is doing this more difficult? Look Vito, fuck you and Joe, I'm leaving and by the way, welcome to the family".

Vicky almost ran out of the apartment and Vito hesitated whether to go after her or not so as not to leave Joe alone but when he told her that it was fine he ran after her.  
It took him a few minutes to find her and when he did he saw that she was sitting on a bench crying.  
When she saw him, she got up and tried to run away, but he gently grabbed her by the shoulder and hugged her.

"Vicky please stop, let me take you home and I'll tell you everything".

"Do you promise?".

"I promise".

Vito took a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to the girl.  
He took her home and while she changed he made some tea.  
She was too affected by it all to care if he saw her in her pajamas.  
They sat on the sofa and Vito took her hand.

"We had to do a job and Marty was the getaway driver that would get me and Joe out of there but it didn't go as expected and it didn't end well".

"And with that you're saying that Marty is probably dead?".

"We found him dead in the parking lot, they shot him".

At Vito's words the girl couldn't help but cry.  
Marty was very important to her and she never thought that something like this would happen.  
At the time she blamed Joe for it because if he hadn't said anything he wouldn't have died.  
Vito hugged her and gave her the cup of tea.

"I'm so sorry Vicky, I know you loved him very much".

"Thanks for telling me, what I'm asking is that you take care of Joe, I don't know what he will be able to do right now".

"Of course, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him from time to time and there's something I want to ask you".

"What is it?".

"Why did you say 'welcome to the family'?".

"My father works for Falcone so it's no surprise that I know things, like it was Leo Galante who helped you while you were in prison".

"Joe didn't tell me that your father worked for Falcone".

"I guess it's better that way, I don't know".

"Is that why you always carry a knife on you?".

"You saw it?".

"Yes".

"Wow, I'll have to hide it better".

They both laughed.  
Vito stayed with her until she felt better and noticed that she didn't move much and saw that she had fallen asleep.  
He chuckled and carried her to bed.  
He tucked her in and left the apartment to see how Joe was doing.

In the middle of the night Victoria woke up and went to the bathroom.  
Looking in the mirror, she noticed how red her eyes were and her overall appearance was a mess.  
She couldn't believe that Marty was dead.  
She would never see him again and that broke her heart.  
She washed her face with cold water and decided to drink some milk.  
When she went out to the living room she saw the vase with the flowers that the boy had given her and again the tears fell down her cheeks.  
She returned to her room and sat on the bed.  
She sighed shakily and wiped her cheeks.  
Many of the memories she had with Marty popped into her head and she laughed tearfully at the memory of them.  
She thought that the best thing to do was to never forget him since if she did it it is as if he died again.  
She went back to bed to try to sleep, even if only for a bit, and decided that the next day she would pay Joe a visit so he could tell her what had happened.


	6. Chapter 6

Things were getting more complicated with the passing of the minutes and Victoria knew that the longer she stayed in Empire Bay the worse it would be.  
Despite the fact that her father worked for the Falcone family, he never wanted her to be involved in all this.  
The news about Henry's death hit her hard and was what made her start thinking about leaving.  
Deep down she didn't want to part with Joe and Vito but she was afraid of what might happen.  
She had been preparing for her disappearance for several days and everything seemed to be correct.  
She sat for a long time on her sofa, staring at the sheet of paper in front of her.  
She sighed and ran her hands over her face before beginning to write.  
She tried not to be too redundant and checked the letter several times before putting it in the envelope and sealing it.  
She left the envelope on the small table in the entrance where she remained still for a few moments and then entered her room.  
She packed a suitcase with everything she needed and left it by the door.  
She picked up the phone and dialed the bookstore number.  
For a long time she established with them a key word that would indicate if she had problems or was in danger.  
When she hung up, she took a cardboard box and put the suitcase and some other things inside it.  
She dressed in comfortable and simple clothing and sat down to wait.  
When there was a knock on her door she jumped a little scared and looked through the peephole to see who it was.  
When she made sure it was Flavio, she opened it.

"What do you need me to take?".

Vicky pointed to the box next to her and he picked it up.

"Thank you very much, later I will stop by the store to look at some books".

"Sure, no problem, see you later".

After closing the door, she began to keep everything she could in boxes and left them in her study.  
She wrote in each of them what they contained.  
When she finished she took the envelope that she had left hours before on the entrance table and left her apartment, leaving it tightly closed.  
She entered through the back of the bookstore where Orlena received her.

"Is it true that you are leaving?".

"Indeed, things are getting worse and worse and I fear someone may try to kill me or something worse".

"If so, it is best if you are safe and go where no one can easily find you".

"I will miss you so much...".

The two girls hugged each other tightly.  
They knew this was probably the last time they would see each other in a long time.  
They stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity until they heard the voice of Orlena's father.

"When will you go?".

Victoria was still holding her friend and looked at her father.

"I'm leaving tonight, going to pick up the box your son brought, and I'll disappear, I don't know how long, but I'd rather be safe than sorry".

"Be very careful and I hope we can see you again someday".

"Take good care of yourselves too, I'll be back tonight".

They both said goodbye to her and watched her go out into the alley again and walk away.  
Victoria walked cautiously through the streets until she came to a store where they sold paint and knocked on the door on the side of the building.  
Instantly it opened and a red-haired man appeared.

"It was about time, come in".

"Sorry I'm late, I had unfinished business on the way".

The metal door closed behind her and the man guided her to one of the warehouses where a black car and a slightly younger man stood.  
He was the one who would quietly get her out of there so as not to raise any suspicions and make her getaway as smooth as possible.

"Good evening Theo".

"Miss Ricci".

Through a bow at the top of a staircase, a woman leaned out and motioned for her to come closer.  
She listened to her and went upstairs.  
Once there, she made her sit on the side and offered her a cup of coffee.

"We are all going to miss you, you know that right?".

"Of course I know Aisling, I will also miss you a lot, you have always helped me".

"And you have always been very generous to us, so we want you to know that whatever it is, we will help you when you need it".

"Thank you very much".

Aisling lightly squeezed the brown-haired girl's hand and they chatted until nightfall.

They checked that everything was in place before proceeding with the plan.  
Everyone involved knew what to do and knew what would happen if someone jumped the line.

"During my absence I would ask you as a favor to watch my apartment, it is all kept in boxes in case I needed it".

"Perfect then, have a good trip, take good care of yourself and you know that in case you need it, here we are".

"Thank you very much guys, you are the best".

She hugged them all and she and Theo got into the car.  
They left the paint store and headed for the bookstore.  
They braked on the back and got out of the car.

"The box must be in the warehouse, I marked it with the usual".

"Perfect, I'll go after it and go back to the car, don't take too long, you know it will be worse if you stay here longer".

"I know, don't worry."

Victoria entered the store and joined Orlena's family.  
The farewell was sad and everyone cried knowing that they would probably never see each other again.

"Be very careful my girl, I know that you will be fine and you will know how to take care of yourself but do it for us".

"Of course I'll be careful, I don't want to make you feel sadder if something happens to me".

Vicky hugged Flavio and Carlo and pinched their cheeks.

"Take care of them, otherwise I will come after you".

"You know we will always take care of them, so you don't have to worry".

She wanted to stay longer but knew it was impossible.  
She hugged them all for the last time and returned to the car.  
The tore off and went outside.

"Before we leave the city I would like to stop somewhere".

"Okay, but make it quick".

"Well of course".


	7. Chapter 7

Theo followed Victoria's directions and they stopped in front of the building Joe lived in.  
She gave him the letter and told him which floor and apartment to deliver it to.  
She thought about doing it herself but she was afraid of meeting Joe or Vito and that would make it all the more complicated.

"I'll be right back".

"Try not to be seen by anyone, be careful...".

"Don't worry, I always have it".

She watched him get out of the car and into the building.  
Theo made it smoothly to Joe's door and slid the letter under it.  
She hurried back to the car and drove on the routes she considered the safest.

"Can I ask you something?".

"Yes".

"Why a letter, wouldn't it have been better to talk to that person?".

"I thought it would be the best, if I saw them in person they would not let me go".

"I guess nobody knows things better than yourself...".

"I guess so...".

In front of them was the Empire Bay exit, the entire city was bathed in moonlight and that image made her feel sad.  
She was going to miss all of this very much but couldn't help feeling uneasy and worried.  
What she was very clear about was that she didn't want to end up like Henry.

"Try to get some sleep, you have a blanket there next to you and don't worry, you will arrive safely at your destination".

She knew she needed to sleep, but the thought of doing so caused her a certain fear.

"Come on, go to sleep".

"You're right, thanks for everything Theo".

"You don't have to give them, that's what we're here for".

Vicky stretched out across the back seats and covered herself with the blanket after taking off her shoes.  
She closed her eyes and tried to relax as best she could.  
The murmur produced by the car on the road made sleep slowly take over her until she fell asleep.

The park was full of children who played and laughed non-stop.  
A nice breeze was blowing and it seemed like the perfect afternoon to be outdoors.  
Out of the bushes a brown-haired boy ran out and stopped by a bench.

"Can we go now Mom? I'm tired".

She looked at him and smiled.

"Sure honey, let's go".

They left the park and on the way home they saw an ice cream stand.

"How about we buy a couple of ice cream cones?".

The boy started jumping joyfully and made the biggest smile she had ever seen.  
They bought two caramel ice creams and continued on their way.  
The street was full of people but minutes later they spotted their house.  
The little boy knocked on the door several times and it was opened by a man who kissed the woman.  
They entered the house and the door slammed shut.

Victoria woke up to find Theo shaking her.  
The girl rubbed her eyes to clear herself and sat up.

"We have arrived?".

"A few minutes ago, come on, I'll stay with you to wait".

"Thanks".

The brown-haired girl was still somewhat sleepy and confused from the dream she had had.  
She didn't remember much about it, just little bits like a child and a park.  
She put on her shoes and got out of the car.  
They went into the small service station where they ate something and chatted to make the wait more enjoyable.  
A couple of hours later, a blue car pulled up in front of the establishment and a young man with blond hair got out.  
He entered the establishment and when he saw Victoria he smiled.  
He walked over to the table where he and Theo were sitting and the girl got up.  
The two hugged for a few minutes and the blond boy sat on one of the chairs.

"I'll have a coffee and we'll go, my sister really wants to see you again".

"I've missed her so much, she'll be glad to see me".

While they brought his coffee, Victoria took the opportunity to go to the bathroom for a moment and freshen up.  
She knew Joe and Vito would probably have read the letter but it was too late to back down.  
She tried not to think about Henry and Marty, but there were times when she couldn't help it and spent hours crying about it.  
She washed her face with cold water trying to regain her composure and went out to meet again with the two men who were next to Theo's car.  
The blonde went to her car and left them alone to say goodbye.

"I will try to write to you from time to time so as not to worry you".

"And we will be delighted to read it, now it will be quite strange for the store when you do not appear there on Fridays".

"I'm going to miss those dinners and the pool games afterward".

"I'll eat and play for you".

They both laughed out loud and Vicky's eyes filled with tears.  
She hugged Theo as tightly as she could.  
This was all proving very difficult, but it was for her good.  
They knew what happened in Empire Bay would only get worse and neither of them wanted anything to happen to him.

"You must go now".

Theo kissed her forehead and wiped away her tears.  
Vicky nodded and they parted.

"Drive carefully, give the others a hug from me and before you go I want you to give this to Aisling".

From her bag she took out a blue box and handed it to her.  
Theo tucked it into his jacket and managed a small smile.  
He helped Victoria carry her things from one car to another and leaned against his.

"Until we meet again Miss Ricci".

The younger man got into his car and drove away until he disappeared under the girl's gaze.  
When she made sure he was gone she got into the other car.

"You seemed very close".

"We have known each other for many years".

"I'm glad you have people you can trust".

He started the car and started driving down the only road that could be seen in the area.

After what seemed like an eternity the car stopped.  
They had not reached their destination but they knew that they were close to it.  
They stretched their legs for a while under the shade of some trees.

"I really appreciate what you are doing for me".

"Don't worry, you are family to us".

"I mean it, Elijah".

"I know".

The two of them were silent for a few moments and returned to the car.  
They continued on their way until they reached a town.  
It didn't look very big but it had a lot of charm.  
They turned left at a crossroads and advanced until they reached one of the residential areas.  
All the houses looked similar except for small details.  
Finally they stopped in front of one of them, which had a blue door in front.  
Elijah got the car into the garage and they entered the house through a side door.  
The first thing Victoria noticed was the sugary smell of some candy but she couldn't identify which one.  
The blond man led her into the living room.

"Wait here, I'll be right back".

She did as instructed and while she waited she scanned the room with her eyes.  
The first thing she noticed was that the wallpaper was different.  
The last time she was there it was blue but now it was pale yellow.  
The furniture was the same, but there were many more plants by the window.  
Something cold touched her leg and when she looked down she saw that it was Lucio.  
The little black dog rubbed against her leg and she bent down to pet him.

"My, my Lu, you're not wasting your time".

That voice made Victoria lift her head and her eyes go wide.  
In front of her was a blonde woman who was about her age.  
She got up and ran to her and they hugged so tight they thought they would fall.

"I'm glad to see you again Valentina".


End file.
